The Lewiston Police Department wants the force to be representative of the community it serves. WMTW News 8's Kyle Jones reports.

The Lewiston Police Department wants the force to be representative of the community it serves. WMTW News 8's Kyle Jones reports.

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Updated: 12:25 AM EDT May 23, 2015

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WEBVTT THEY HAVE BEEN QUITE A NUMEROUSTHROUGH THE MID-COAST.TEMPERATURES RIGHT NOW ARE 62.10 DEGREES COLDER IN NORTHERNNEW HAMPSHIRE.THE DRYER AIR COMING IN A YOUWILL NOTICE DURING THEOVERNIGHT.EIGHT DAY FORECAST AND A COLDERNIGHTS.PORTLAND DOWN TO 37.MID-30'S.UP TO 62 DEGREES.A TOTAL LOOK AT THE WEEKENDFORECAST COMING UP.STEVE?STEVE BANK -- STEVE: THELEWISTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ISHIRING, AND THEY'RE REACHING OUTTO ONE OF THE LARGEST GROUPS INTHE CITY TO FILL SOME OF THEPOSITIONS.THERE IS A NEW EFFORT TO HAVEMEMBERS OF THE SOMALI COMMUNITYJOIN THEIR RANKS.WMTW NEWS 8'S KYLE JONES HAS OURTOP STORY.KEIO BANK -- KYLE: THE LEWISTONPOLICE DEPARTMENT IS EXPANDINGITS HIRING FOR NEW POSITIONS.AND WITH A GROWING SOMALIPOPULATION, THE OFFICIALS WANTTO SURE THE POLICE FORCE KEEPSUP WITH ITS RESIDENTS.WE'RE ALWAYS RECRUITING INALL COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RELOOKING FOR DIVERSITY AMONG THELAW ENFORCEMENT RANKS HERE.REPORTER: SO THE DEPARTMENT ISMEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY ASPART OF RECRUITMENT TO SEE IFTHERE'S INTEREST IN LAWENFORCEMENT CAREERS.AND THEY'RE LETTING YOUNG PEOPLEKNOW HOW TO BE COMPETITIVE.SO IF WE CAN CONTINUE THATINTEREST, THROUGH HIGH SCHOOLAND GET THEM TO GO TO COLLEGEAND GET A DEGREE OR OTHERRELEVANT MILITARY EXPERIENCE OROTHER LAW ENFORCEMENTEXPERIENCE, THEY'LL BE GOODCANDIDATES FOR THE FUTURE.REPORTER: WITH THOUSANDS OFSOMALIS IN LEWISTON, SOME AREGLAD TO SEE THE EFFORT.FOR THOSE PEOPLE WEREGRADUATING FOR COMMUNITYCOLLEGE, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY.REPORTER: LIBAH IS THE DIRECTOROF THE SOMALI BANTU COMMUNITYCENTER AND SAYS MORE SOMALIS ONTHE FORCE COULD HELP BUILDRELATIONSHIPS.I THINK IT WILL INCREASE INTHE AMOUNT OF TRUST IN THEPOLICE SYSTEM.REPORTER: THE POLICE DEPARTMENTWANT THE PEOPLE -- WANTED THEFORCE REPRESENTATIVE.THEY DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH.IT IS HARD TO GET A JOB.LET ALONE GO INTO THE POLICEFORCE.REPORTER: IT'SA STRUGGLE FOR ALOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO FINDWORK AND THEY COME TO THE CENTEROR OTHER ADULT EDUCATION CENTERSACROSS THE AREA FOR HELP.BUT WITH 20% OF THE POLICEFORCEIN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS UP FORRETIREMENT, IT IS TIME.IS TIME TO AROUND UP.

Lewiston Police seek new recruits from Somali population

The Lewiston Police Department wants the force to be representative of the community it serves. WMTW News 8's Kyle Jones reports.